My Favorite Photos from Our Engagement Shoot with Nicolai Melicor

Hooraaay! Our engagement photos are here!

Last May 10, the Cupcake and I had our engagement photo shoot with Nicolai Melicor in an Airbnb that I booked in Bonifacio Global City. But before I show how fun and unforgettable the shoot was, let me just share our process in choosing our wedding photographer, and how I came up with the concept for our shoot!

Choosing our photographer didn’t take us too long, because I already had a few names in mind. Not to mention, being in an industry where I’m constantly introduced to talented photographers with different styles, I knew I wanted someone whose style was very crisp and clean, and used natural light—and Nicolai’s photos depicted this. After discussing with the Cupcake, who agreed, I sent an e-mail to Nicolai right away. A few e-mail exchanges and an initial meeting over Skype later, where we both got to know each other more (I loved her charm and energy!), I immediately booked her.

The concept, on the other hand, was something I really had fun putting together! The Managing Editor in me came out, and I prepared a deck similar to how I make cover girl decks for Calyxta‘s online magazine! I already knew I wanted to do something cozy and laid-back, to best represent the Cupcake’s and my relationship. As much as we love going on adventures and traveling, we’re also homebodies who enjoy spending quality time with our families. Pinterest was my best friend in preparing the deck below (tap the bottom part to scroll)!

#CayoNaNiGretch Engagement Photo Shoot Deck V2

Styling-wise, I knew exactly what looks I wanted for each layout (a quick trip to Uniqlo and Mango did the trick for our wardrobe, while for the evening dress I wore, it was my mom’s vintage dress that my grandmother redesigned and altered for me!). For my hair, I also knew I wanted to book a trusted hairstylist that Calyxta often gets for cover girl shoots: Mong Amado. I decided to do my own makeup, since I wanted to go for something simple and natural.

After all the preparations, Nicolai and her team made the shoot so fun and easy! I initially worried that the Cupcake and I would look or feel awkward, since we both don’t know how to pose (especially with each other)—but with Nicolai’s direction, it didn’t feel staged at all. We just laughed a lot and shared stories, and they were able to capture us in our most natural and candid moments. Here below are some of my favorite picks from the 300+ photos that Nicolai edited:

To be honest, I loved all the photos—so to shortlist just 30 to show on the blog was very difficult. Haha! With the wedding less than three months away, the Cupcake and I are slowly ticking off things in our wedding checklist. I’ll write a separate update on that soon!

My Favorite Photos from Our Engagement Shoot with Nicolai Melicor